Authors

Oct 20 Laughter Lines: Sofie Hagen

Last year’s Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Newcomer winner Sofie Hagen will kick off her first ever nationwide tour of her hotly anticipated show, Shimmer Shatter at Newport Riverfront on October 22.

Following the success of her first show, Bubblewrap, she has also branched out to television and radio, among her writing and performing credits are Comedy Central’s Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central , and Radio 4’s The Now Show .Andy Howells recently put questions to the comedienne.

What made you decide you wanted to get into comedy?I was a bit of a weirdo. My friends thought I was odd and every time I made a joke, they wouldn't laugh. I thought that was just how life was, you know. I was close to accepting that I was just never going to fit in. Then I found comedy and comedians and open mic nights in basements where people would laugh at my jokes and find my weirdnesses normal. Other comedians became my new friends and I've never looked back.

If you weren’t a comedian, what would you be?I would probably have found a cabin in the woods or on some mountain and I'd grow my own vegetables and tiramisu and just write books and articles and tweets and emails and diaries. I would have a huge dog and we'd share a bed.

Who are your comedy heroes?Irish comedian Maeve Higgins. One day she just got up and left Europe and went to try and make it in America. I had the pleasure of gigging with her in New York and I was just in awe. She is the perfect mix between cut-throat and the nicest person in the world. Oh and of course, utterly, utterly hilarious.

What /who makes you laugh the most?My friends Adam Hess and Alison Spittle. They're both comedians. I spent a month in Australia with Adam and spent most of my time observing Adam just do things. Adam meeting a kangaroo. Adam ordering pizza. Adam taking the lift. There is nothing Adam does that isn't funny. Anyone who has seen his shows know exactly what I mean.

Whats the funniest experience you’ve had at one of your shows?A guy who broke my heart was in the front row of a gig I did. Half-way through the show, I told the audience the story of the heartbreak and continued to shout, "WHY DIDN'T YOU LOVE ME?" and stuck the microphone in his face. I think I found it funnier than he did.

What can you tell us about your forthcoming show in Newport?It's a show about not knowing how to be a person. I'm meant to be an adult, I'm meant to have learned how to function by now, but I still feel like I'm an outsider in most situations. It's about that. Oh, and about marrying a piece of wood. It's a lot about love.

What are you looking forward to most about your visit to South Wales?The first time I visited South Wales, I gasped and said to my friends, "Wow! It looks like Italy!" and they laughed at me and claimed that no one had ever made that comparison before. But I loved it. And Newport is actually my first show on my tour - and it's my first tour ever. So Newport gets to take my tour-virginity.

What else are you working on at the moment?I have started my own little podcast called The Made of Human podcast. It's me talking to people I respect about how they deal with life. I'm trying to find out how to function, basically. So far I've had guests such as Josie Long, Katy Brand, Felicity Ward, Chris Gethard, Richard Gadd and Desiree Burch. I love it. I feel like it's making a difference in people's lives.

Where can comedy fans find out more about you?Okay - hang in there! I'm everywhere. The most important thing you need to do is sign up to my newsletter on sofiehagen.com. I send one out every month or so and they're painfully personal and honest. I overshare so much that once, my ex-boyfriend answered the email, thinking I had just sent it to him. Other than that, I'm on Facebook, on Twitter (@SofieHagen), on Instagram (@sofiehagendk) and hey - I'm on Snapchat too! @sofiehagendk. I'm even leaving out some social media platforms because I don't want Newport to think I'm too much of a nerd.

To book tickets for Sofie’s forthcoming Riverfront show call 01633 656757